Out of the past: Dec. 23

1998

More than 1,800 gallons of gasoline that leaked from Spanky's Texaco station, 2201 Broadway, has been collected during a cleanup by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources; the emergency cleanup began Friday after high levels of petroleum fumes were discovered in Cape Girardeau sewers; cleanup will continue at least through this week; the situation was most serious Friday night, when petroleum levels were most explosive; Cape Girardeau fire and public works departments took turns flushing sewer lines in an effort to clear the fuel and lower the level of gas vapors; yesterday's readings showed no vapors present.

The Rev. William Bird was the first and only person to file for a seat on the Cape Girardeau Board of Education on the opening day of filings yesterday; Bird, who will complete his first term on the board in April, is seeking re-election; the board has decided not to appoint anyone to fill the remaining three months of Steve Wright's term on the board; Wright resigned Dec. 16 to seek employment in the district, and he has been hired for a position with the Work Keys program at the Cape Girardeau Area Vocational-Technical School.

1973

A different morning worship is presented at Christ Episcopal Church, when "Nine Lessons in Carols" is given; the young people of the church recite the lessons about Christmas.

Dr. C.T. Herbert, a pediatrician who has been active in the citizens' Committee for Quality Education, has filed as the first candidate for a seat on the Cape Girardeau Board of Education; three posts will be filled at the April 2 election, two for full three-year terms and the other for a one-year unexpired term of the Rev. Earl W. Tharp, who is resigning to move to De Soto, Missouri.

1948

It took 23 years to close the gap, but with the formal opening today of the stretch from Blomeyer to Advance, Missouri, motorists can travel a Highway 25 that is completely hard surfaced in Missouri from its beginning near Festus to the Arkansas state line; the 9-foot surface of 2-inch asphalt on a soil cement base eliminates the half-slab character of the highway and gives it a full 18-foot paved width between Blomeyer and Advance.

Ted Grebing of the Lewis Refrigeration team of the Classic Bowling League topples 695 pins in the evening in league competition, setting a new record for thee games in the league, high for all the city leagues this year; it's the highest to ever be rolled on the Trinity Lutheran alleys in league competition.

1923

Cape Girardeau churches will host pageants based on Biblical stories of the birth of Christ either today or Christmas Day; at First Christian Church a pageant, "The Spirit of Christmas", is presented in the evening, with 20 church members participating; all those attending are asked to bring a gift or some article to eat or wear, which will be turned over to the Salvation Army for distribution to the needy of Cape Girardeau.

More than 40 persons make up the cast of a Christmas pageant at Centenary Methodist Church; the pageant, "When the Star Shone", was a great success when presented last year, and the demand was so great it was decided to produce it again; Mrs. J. Will Pierce is directing the pageant and Mrs. J.C. Brandt the music.

-- Sharon K. Sanders